Venetian blinds, whether of the horizontal louver or vertical louver type, have traditionally used one of two devices, either a wand or a loose loop of cord or chain, to rotate the actuating mechanism for adjusting the louver angle. Recently, the use of the loop type of control has been recognized as a possible safety hazard for infants, who may become entangled in the loop. Consequently, the ANSI/WCMA A100.1-1966 safety standard provides for the elimination of the loose loop in existing venetian blind designs by, inter alia, the cutting of the loop and the attaching of tassels to the two resulting cord or chain ends. New designs of venetian blinds, in order to meet this standard, may be supplied with the cord or chain already cut and tassels attached to each of the two ends. However, conventional open ended bell shaped tassels do not adequately lock the chain or cord end within the tassel so as to limit access to it, or provide a ready means for extending the length of the cord or chain if a longer cord or chain is required than is already installed on the blind.